Vegetable Man
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"Vegetable Man" is a song by the English rock band
Pink Floyd Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philo ...
, written by the frontman,
Syd Barrett Roger Keith "Syd" Barrett (6 January 1946 – 7 July 2006) was an English singer, songwriter, and musician who co-founded the rock band Pink Floyd in 1965. Barrett was their original frontman and primary songwriter, becoming known for his ...
, and recorded in 1967. It was considered for a release as a single or for inclusion on their second album, '' A Saucerful of Secrets'', but went unreleased. Bootlegged for decades, the song did not have an official release until 2016, when it was included on the box set ''
The Early Years 1965–1972 ''The Early Years 1965–1972'' is a box set that details the early work of the English rock band Pink Floyd released on 11 November 2016. It was released by Pink Floyd Records with distribution held by Warner Music for the UK and Europe and So ...
''.


Recording and consideration

The song was recorded from 9 to 11 October 1967. The first take ends with 15 seconds of laughter from the band, while a different take is a faster-paced jam of the song. The song was an attempt to record a follow-up single to "
See Emily Play "See Emily Play" is a song by English rock band Pink Floyd, released as their second single in June 1967. Written by original frontman Syd Barrett, it was released as a non-album single, but appeared as the opening track of the U.S. edition of ...
", as well as the beginning of sessions for the album that would eventually become '' A Saucerful of Secrets''. Among the songs considered were " Paint Box", "
Scream Thy Last Scream "Scream Thy Last Scream" is a song by Pink Floyd, written by frontman Syd Barrett and scheduled to be the band's next single after "See Emily Play". Its first official release was on '' The Early Years 1965-1972'' box set in November 2016. Record ...
", "
Jugband Blues "Jugband Blues" is a song by the English psychedelic rock band Pink Floyd, released on their second album, ''A Saucerful of Secrets'', in 1968. Written by Syd Barrett, it was his sole compositional contribution to the album, as well as his last pub ...
" and "
Apples and Oranges A comparison of apples and oranges occurs when two items or groups of items are compared that cannot be practically compared, typically because of inherent, fundamental and/or qualitative differences between the items. The idiom, ''comparing ...
". "Vegetable Man" was scheduled for release, as the B-side to "Scream Thy Last Scream", but cancelled, and both tracks remained unreleased until 2016.Chapman 2010. p. 187. Eventually, "Apples and Oranges" was chosen for the single release instead, with "Paint Box" as the
B-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record compan ...
and "Jugband Blues" appearing on their next album ''A Saucerful of Secrets''. The band played "Vegetable Man" live for a BBC radio broadcast on 20 December 1967.Palacios 2010. p. 306.
Peter Jenner Peter Julian Jenner (born 3 March 1943) is a British music manager and a record producer. Jenner, Andrew King and the original four members of Pink Floyd were partners in Blackhill Enterprises. Early career Peter Jenner is the son of Willia ...
wanted the song released: "I always thought they should be put out, so I let my copies be heard. I knew that
Roger Roger is a given name, usually masculine, and a surname. The given name is derived from the Old French personal names ' and '. These names are of Germanic origin, derived from the elements ', ''χrōþi'' ("fame", "renown", "honour") and ', ' ( ...
would never let them out, or
Dave Dave may refer to: Film, television, and theater * ''Dave'' (film), a 1993 film starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver * ''Dave'' (musical), a 2018 stage musical adaptation of the film * Dave (TV channel), a digital television channel in the ...
. They somehow felt they were a bit indecent, like putting out nude pictures of a famous actress: it just wasn't cricket. But I thought they were good songs and great pieces of art. They're disturbing, and not a lot of fun, but they're some of Syd's finest work – though God knows, I wouldn't wish anyone to go through what he's gone through to get to those songs. They're like
Van Gogh Vincent Willem van Gogh (; 30 March 185329 July 1890) was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who posthumously became one of the most famous and influential figures in Western art history. In a decade, he created about 2,100 artworks, inclu ...
." Producer Malcolm Jones (who produced Barrett's ''
The Madcap Laughs ''The Madcap Laughs'' is the debut solo album by the English singer-songwriter Syd Barrett. It was recorded after Barrett had left Pink Floyd in April 1968. The album had a chequered recording history, with work beginning in mid-1968, but the ...
'' solo album) had remixed this song and "Scream Thy Last Scream" for inclusion on the Barrett rarities album ''
Opel Opel Automobile GmbH (), usually shortened to Opel, is a German automobile manufacturer which has been a subsidiary of Stellantis since 16 January 2021. It was owned by the American automaker General Motors from 1929 until 2017 and the PSA Grou ...
'' (1988); however, the band blocked its inclusion.Schaffner 2005. p. 134.


Composition

Jenner claims Barrett wrote the song describing himself as he sat at Jenner's home, "He had to go and record and, because a song was needed, he just wrote a description of what he was wearing at the time..."Chapman 2010. p. 192. Jenner called the track "too dark". Many cite it as a document of Syd's apparent monumental breakdown as a recording artist and as a person.Chapman 2010. p. 190. The song was written around the same time as "
Jugband Blues "Jugband Blues" is a song by the English psychedelic rock band Pink Floyd, released on their second album, ''A Saucerful of Secrets'', in 1968. Written by Syd Barrett, it was his sole compositional contribution to the album, as well as his last pub ...
" which is directed towards anyone within Barrett's orbit, while "Vegetable Man" is aimed at the
music industry The music industry consists of the individuals and organizations that earn money by writing songs and musical compositions, creating and selling recorded music and sheet music, presenting concerts, as well as the organizations that aid, train, ...
and himself.Chapman 2010. p. 191. Both songs contain the same cynical humour.


Official release

Although popular as a bootleg in a low quality form for decades, the song was not officially released until 2016, when it appeared on ''
The Early Years 1965–1972 ''The Early Years 1965–1972'' is a box set that details the early work of the English rock band Pink Floyd released on 11 November 2016. It was released by Pink Floyd Records with distribution held by Warner Music for the UK and Europe and So ...
'' box set. The remastered version of the song was given its radio debut on
BBC Radio 6 Music BBC Radio 6 Music is a British digital radio station owned and operated by the BBC, specialising primarily in alternative music. BBC 6 Music was the first national music radio station to be launched by the BBC in 32 years. It is available onl ...
on 4 November 2016. It was performed live for the first time by
Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets are an English rock band formed in 2018 to perform the early music of Pink Floyd. The band comprises the Pink Floyd drummer and co-founder Nick Mason, the bassist Guy Pratt, the guitarists Gary Kemp and Lee Harr ...
on their 2018 European Tour.


Personnel

*
Syd Barrett Roger Keith "Syd" Barrett (6 January 1946 – 7 July 2006) was an English singer, songwriter, and musician who co-founded the rock band Pink Floyd in 1965. Barrett was their original frontman and primary songwriter, becoming known for his ...
– guitar, lead vocals * Richard Wright
keyboards Keyboard may refer to: Text input * Keyboard, part of a typewriter * Computer keyboard ** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping ** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware Music * Musi ...
, backing vocals *
Roger Waters George Roger Waters (born 6 September 1943) is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. In 1965, he co-founded the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. Waters initially served as the bassist, but following the departure of singer-so ...
– bass guitar, backing vocals *
Nick Mason Nicholas Berkeley Mason, (born 27 January 1944) is an English drummer and a founder member of the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. He is the only member to feature on every Pink Floyd album, and the only constant member since its formation in ...
– drums,
percussion A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Exc ...
, backing vocals


Cover versions

The Soft Boys The Soft Boys were an English rock band led by Robyn Hitchcock primarily during the 1970s, whose initially old-fashioned music style of psychedelic/folk-rock became part of the neo-psychedelia scene with the release of '' Underwater Moonlight'' ...
covered this song on the 1980 EP ''Near the Soft Boys'', and the track was included on some editions of their ''
Underwater Moonlight ''Underwater Moonlight'' is the second studio album by English rock band the Soft Boys, released on 28 June 1980 by record label Armageddon. Initially unsuccessful, the album has gone on to be viewed as a psychedelic classic, influential on t ...
'' album. A cover version by Scottish band
The Jesus and Mary Chain The Jesus and Mary Chain are a Scottish alternative rock band formed in East Kilbride in 1983. The band revolves around the songwriting partnership of brothers Jim and William Reid. After signing to independent label Creation Records, they rele ...
originally featured as the B-side of their debut single " Upside Down" and appears on their 2008 compilation '' The Power of Negative Thinking: B-Sides & Rarities'' and the 2011 2CD/DVD reissue of ''
Psychocandy ''Psychocandy'' is the debut studio album by Scottish rock band the Jesus and Mary Chain. It was released in November 1985 on Blanco y Negro Records. The album is considered a landmark recording: its combination of guitar feedback and noise wit ...
''. Canadian band Kosmos recorded the song for the 2006 tribute album ''Like Black Holes in the Sky: The Tribute to Syd Barrett''. The Vegetable Man Project was a series of six CDs (plus a one-sided 10" single with 60 10-second excerpts) of various acts performing cover versions of the song, released by the Italian labels Oggetti Volanti Non Identificati and Yellow Shoes between 2002 and 2009. British post-punk band
the Mothmen The Mothmen were a short-lived post-punk band from England, formed around 1979 by Dave Rowbotham, Chris Joyce and Tony Bowers, shortly after they left The Durutti Column, including ex-Alberto Y Lost Trios Paranoias singer Bob Harding. History ...
recorded a version, released on the CD version of their 1981 album
Pay Attention '' Pay Attention'' is the sixth studio album by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. It was released on May 2, 2000 by Island Records. The video for "So Sad to Say" premiered on MTV's '' 120 Minutes'' on April 25, 2000. In March and April 2001, the ...
.


See also

*
List of unreleased Pink Floyd material Pink Floyd have been known to perform and/or record a number of songs and instrumentals which have never been officially released on a single or album. Only those whose existence can be reliably confirmed are listed here. Bootleg recordings of the ...


References

{{Pink Floyd British garage rock songs Pink Floyd songs Psychedelic songs Songs written by Syd Barrett 2016 songs